State of emergency over locust invasion imposed in southern Russia

Two million roubles have been allocated to fund anti-locust measures

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VOLGOGRAD, May 11 (Itar-Tass) —— A state of emergency has been imposed in the Limansky district of Russia’s southern Astrakhan region over the invasion of locusts, a spokesman for the Southern emergencies centre told Itar-Tass on Friday.

“The population of insects is estimated at from 50 to 500 locusts per one square meter. Two million roubles have been allocated to fund anti-locust measures. A team of 60 specialists and 22 units of machinery will be involved in an operation to eliminate locust reproduction niduses. It is expected that the operation will be over by May 25,” the spokesman said.

These insects become migratory in early June and if their larva is not killed by this time, locusts form swarms that can travel great distances, rapidly stripping fields and greatly damaging crops.

Locusts are especially dangerous in the areas of irrigated cropping. Especially harmful for crops are Calliptamus italicus. This species is native of the steppes of Central Asia, but it is nowadays present in the Volga region, in southern European Russia, in Western Siberia, in the Caucasus, and in Kazakhstan.